Read Cache Detection Issue + other Newby Q

[dring]

Thanks in advance Spoon & friends!

I ripped my CD collection ages back to FLAC primarily using EAC, but the metadata isn't the greatest, and the later rips are better than the early ones while I was learning/configuring EAC. EAC seems to have problems installing on Windows 11, and I don't want to go thru the config hassle again so moving over to dbPowerAmp to re-rip AND rip all my families new discs since the ripping machine died several years back.

Using an external drive Pioneer BDR-X13U-S - docs and specs say it has a 4MB Cache.
Google says it has a 2MB or 4MB cache.
DBPowerAmp CDRipper - Technical -> Buffer size says 3.91MB
I also have an old Samsung SE-506, but I figure the Pioneer will produce better results, and my computer seems to be having issues recognizing it today.

When I run the detect cache I never get anything close to 3910 KB. Below you can see values I get when scanning. I do have some discs with scratches, so I think this matters for those.

Another search I found this post about a slightly diff Pioneer drive, and the suggestion was to leave it at 1024.

My questions:
1. For the Cache setting should I go with default 1024KB, 3091KB or 140/147KB from scans?
2. Does the Cache setting matter much if the rip doesn't have read issues or scratches on the disc?
3. Is there a certain genre, age or disc that works better for cache detection?
4. Do you get better results using Windows 11 or Windows 10? (I figure no difference -- but I have both.)
5. Mark Track as Error If: What is the difference between the options "Insecure" & "Not verified by AccurateRip"?
5a - does this still apply - DSP effect 'Delete Destination File on Error' to remove any insecure ripped files. It is also to mark tracks which have not passed an AccurateRip verification as error.

Scan values:

Queen - A Kind of Magic - set 4096 - cache: 140KB
Take2 - 3910 KB - no cache
Take3 - 4096 KB - no cache
Take4 - 1024 KB - no cache
Foo Fighters - The Color and the Shape - 147KB
U2 - The Joshua Tree - no cache
Black Crowes, The - Shake Your Money Maker - no cache
CCR - Chronicle - no cache (slow read)
Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day - inconsistent values (slow read)
Beatles, The - White Album (Disc 2) - no cache
T2 - inconsistent values
Dvorak/Tchaikowsky - Rostropovich, Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic - inconsistent values
Dvorak Sympony No 9 - Karajan, Vienna Philharmonic - inconsistent values
T2 - no cache

[Spoon]

Leave at 1024KB

[garym]

3. Is there a certain genre, age or disc that works better for cache detection?
4. Do you get better results using Windows 11 or Windows 10? (I figure no difference -- but I have both.)
5. Mark Track as Error If: What is the difference between the options "Insecure" & "Not verified by AccurateRip"?

3. No
4. No
5. A track could be SECURE, even if not verified by AccurateRip. Selecting "not verified by AR" is a much more conservative interpretation of ERROR. For example, many new releases won't be verified by AR when you rip because they are too new to have made it into the AR database. They can be checked against AR at some later date without re-ripping.

[simbun]

I ripped my CD collection ages back to FLAC primarily using EAC, but the metadata isn't the greatest, and the later rips are better than the early ones while I was learning/configuring EAC. EAC seems to have problems installing on Windows 11, and I don't want to go thru the config hassle again so moving over to dbPowerAmp to re-rip AND rip all my families new discs since the ripping machine died several years back.

Is there a reason you want to re-rip rather than re-tag using Picard/foobar/Mp3tag? If you're not sure about the accuracy of the original rips they can be verified using PerfectTunes or CUETools.

[dring]

Thanks for the tips & answers Spoon & garym.

simbun, I guess I over-dramatized. Just going to rip all the new discs, and those that weren't ripped, or had issues, last time. Good tip on PerfectTunes and CueTools I hadn't considered those to validate.